The Typepad blog for Mark D. Roberts

Monday, February 13, 2012

The Christian season of Lent begins next week on Ash Wednesday. For many Christians, this is a special season of the year for growing in one’s relationship with God. Other Christians aren’t so sure about Lent’s meaning or value. I am putting up this post before the start of Lent so that you might have time to think about how, if at all, you want to participate in the observance of Lent. (I put up a couple of posts on Ash Wednesday last week. You can find them collected here: Ash Wednesday: What? How? Why?)

Sunday, November 27, 2011

This is the first Sunday in Advent, the beginning of the season in which Christians throughout the world prepare for a fuller, richer celebration of the birth of Jesus. Advent is a season of expectation, waiting, and hope. During the four weeks before Christmas, we put ourselves back into the mindset of the Jews as they yearned for a Messiah two millennia ago. Moreover, we get in touch with our own hope for the second coming of the Messiah. (The word advent comes from a Latin word that means “coming” or “visit.”)

For many years, I have been on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine. I also write regular column for the magazine entitled Lyrical Poetry. In this column, I take one jewel from the treasure chest of the Psalms and consider its relevance for worship and worship leaders. (By “worship leader,” I am thinking about anyone who helps in leading corporate worship, including: choir directors, band leaders, organists, guitar players, preachers, lay liturgists, etc.)

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

No, I’m not referring to Broadway hits like Billy Elliot, The Book of Mormon, or Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Rather, I’m speaking of a just-off-Broadway masterpiece, Freud’s Last Session. This superb play ought not to be missed.

Sunday, October 02, 2011

I recently sent my son, Nathan, off to college. He’s a freshman at New York University. (That’s 1844 miles away from home, to be precise.) As Nathan experiences the joys and challenges of college life, I find myself reminiscing about my own freshman year. (I was 2,791 miles away from home, in case you’re curious.) I had many adventures during my first months of college, though I struggled considerably with homesickness. As much as I enjoyed the freedom of being on my own, I will never forget how it felt to come home for Christmas vacation of my freshman year. There was nothing like hugging my dog, sleeping in my own bed, and, most of all, being with my family. Truly, there is no place like home.